Following the visit, Timothy Owoeye declared that the party’s gubernatorial ticket is not available for sale.
Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke’s spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed has clarified the governor's recent visit to President Bola Tinubu.
Recall that Governor Ademola Adeleke and members of the Adeleke family had recently visited Tinubu sparking political speculation in Osun State, prompting clarifications from both the governor’s camp and the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Photos of the visit, which included the governor, his elder brother Dr. Deji Adeleke, and popular musician David Adeleke (Davido), circulated widely on social media on Tuesday. The images triggered discussions suggesting that the Adeleke political dynasty may be considering a defection to the APC ahead of the 2026 gubernatorial elections.
In a swift response, the Osun State chapter of the APC, through former Speaker of the House of Assembly, Timothy Owoeye, declared that the party’s gubernatorial ticket is not available for sale and dismissed any suggestion that Governor Adeleke is a member of the party.
“I’m saying this categorically that the APC ticket is not for sale. As a matter of fact, as of today, we don’t see Adeleke as a member or part of the APC as a party,” Owoeye stated. “Let me be sincere with you: the APC in Osun is the party to beat.”
He further alleged that the Adeleke family's approach to the APC stems from political insecurity within the PDP. “Now that the Adeleke family has seen that their tenure is already terminated, come August 08, 2026, we are driving away the PDP from the Osun government, and we want to appeal to our people to remain calm. There is no space for PDP or Adeleke in the APC,” he added.
However, Governor Adeleke’s spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, in a statement, dismissed the speculations as unfounded. He described the visit to President Tinubu in Lagos as a routine courtesy call and reaffirmed the governor’s commitment to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
“The media speculation about likely or imminent defection is fake news. Governor Adeleke remains a member and leader of the PDP in Osun State,” the statement read. “The visit by the Adeleke dynasty to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a routine courtesy visit. Any reading of defection agenda into the visit is mere fake news.”